Effect of an Exercise Program on the Static Balance of Deaf Children

Deaf children show subnormal performance on standard tests of static balance. This study investigated the effect of a 10-day exercise program of static balance activities on the static balance ability of severely deaf children. A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The subjects, 49 deaf children, were tested on a force platform in four different stances. The experimental group then participated in a daily exercise program of activities traditionally used to facilitate balance ability. A comparison of the change in steadiness scores between the control and experimental groups revealed no significant difference in static balance ability as measured by degree of sway. However, the length of time that children in the experimental group could stand on one leg increased significantly. The lack of improvement in the amount of sway after use of this widely accepted therapeutic program serves to highlight the need for further investigation of the effect of any exercise program on static balance ability.